NBK Insider September 2011

Dear NBK Colleagues,

So what’s your EQ folks? Have you ever measured your

EQ? Is it more important than your IQ and how does this

apply to your workplace?

In this month’s issue, we look closely at our Emotional

Intelligence, its definition, its role and its metrics. On

page 13, you’ll find a set of fun questions which will help

you measure your EQ. At the bottom of this issue you’ll

find the answers – don’t forget to share your results by

dropping us a line at [email protected].

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to per-

ceive, control and evaluate emotions. Some researchers

suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and

strengthened, while others claim it is an inborn character-

istic.

Since 1990, Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer have been

the leading researchers on emotional intelligence. In their

influential article "Emotional Intelligence," they defined

emotional intelligence as, "the subset of social intelli-

gence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and

others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among

them and to use this information to guide one's thinking

and actions" (1990).

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been recently validated

with about 25 major skill areas that can influence your

career and create abilities that improve your worth at

work. These EI skills are not readily measured on stand-

ard intelligence or expertise tests. People with emotional

intelligence have tremendous advantages that far out-

weigh highly intelligent people who may be moody or

have temper tantrums.

The "emotional intelligence" skills can count for far more

when it comes to being a "star performer" or excelling at

just about any job. To be outstanding, these EI skills are

nearly everything for reaching success and the top of any

career ladder. In the USA Today article, "Working

Smart," author Dr. Daniel Goleman stresses that emotion-

al intelligence is not just being "nice" or giving free rein

Insider’s Note

September 2011 Issue 38

to feelings so that it "all hangs out." Instead, success-

ful people use their EI to manage feelings both appropri-

ately and effectively so that the common good and goals

of the work group can be readily achieved.

To know your emotional intelligence you need to under-

stand these 25 abilities that matter the most. The five ma-

jor categories include: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation,

Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skills. There are only

about two dozen emotional intelligence skills that affect

all aspects of work. Some of them are: accurate self-

assessment, self-confidence, self-control, conscientious-

ness, adaptability, innovation, commitment, initiative,

political awareness, optimism, understanding others, con-

flict management skills, team capabilities, communica-

tion, and the ability to initiate or manage change.

The good news for everyone is that unlike IQ which does

not change much after our teen years, the level of

our emotional intelligence can continue to grow, devel-

op and change as it is largely a learned area of expertise.

So don’t forget to fill in the questionnaire at the middle of

the Insider and let us know how you measure up!

All the best from your favorite NBK Insider team!

All the best,

NBK Insider Team

NBK IN THE NEWS

Two lucky winners walking away with great prizes during Ramadan!

Sheikh Ahmed Khaled Al Thani and Noor Badr Al Ali walked away with a free 5-year service package or what is

equivalent to 100,000 Km in mileage during Ramadan courtesy of NBK Automobiles.

NBK Automobiles has kick-started this promotion at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan giving all Mercedes

-Benz customers the chance to revel in a series of prizes ranging from considerable service packages to attractive ac-

cessories and the chance to win a fantastic Mercedes-Benz top of the range car models.

Additionally, customers had the chance to avail of an extended grace period for every brand new or pre-owned vehicle

that is purchased this year with first settlement starting in 2012 through Qatar National Bank.

Greeting the Eid with a farewell Iftar dinner

QAC (Qatar Automobile Company), celebrated the be-

ginning of the Holy Eid and the last days of this year’s

blessed month with an Iftar dinner for QAC’s manage-

ment officials and eminent representatives of the media.

The event was attended by selected officials from QAC

including the newly appointed General Manager – Mr.

Ayman A. Mohamad-Ali, and media representatives in-

cluding the high-level representatives from Al Wattan,

Chief Executive Officer in Qatar Business Review , Mr.

Joseph Jones, the Director of Arab Motors , Mr. Nabil Al-

Hassan, Deputy Managing Director of Al Sharq Mr. Has-

san Aboarafat, in addition to reporters from all the select-

ed newspapers and magazines such as Gulf Times and

Peninsula.

Mitsubishi’s Iftar dinner is considered to be a combina-

tion of both, a Holy Eid greeting dinner, and a reunion of

the elite representatives from the renowned companies in

Qatar.


NBK IN THE NEWS

Ramadan marked the 22nd edition of our annual

and yearly awaited NBK Ramadan Tennis Tour-

nament. Witnessing increasing interest and ac-

claim year on year, the NBK Ramadan Tennis

Tournament is an NBK home-grown sports initia-

tive and a prestigious calendar event which has

continuously contributed to the sports community

of Qatar.

The NBK 22nd Ramadan Tennis Tournament


NBK IN THE NEWS

NBK Ready Mix has recently organized its

2nd annual cricket tournament as part of its

social programs wherein 60 players from dif-

ferent organization departments have partici-

pated in the event.

Held on 31st August 2011, the next tourna-

ment shall be open for all other NBK subsid-

iaries and joint ventures.

Adel Hajjaj, NBK Ready Mix General Man-

ager, says, “ Such initiatives help enhance

inter-group communications, social gather-

ings and team spirit, hence we are keen on

doing this again.”

NBK Ready Mix Organized its 2nd Annual

Cricket Tournament

The closing ceremony was attended by Nasser Al

Khelaifi, QTF President and HE Sheikh Nawaf Bin Nas-

ser Al Thani, Chairman of NBK Group and Hassan Al-

Thawadi, Secretary General of the FIFA 2022 World Cup

Organising Committee.

Qatar’s Mohammad Khanji claimed the title of men’s sin-

gles after beating Ahmad Marawan of Syria 2-6 6-2 6-4.


In the final of Under-12 event, Omar Al-Jefairi outplayed

Ali Al-Mahmoud 6-2 6-4.

Basel Murad won veterans singles after beating Raymon

Hayek 6-3 4-6 10-7 in the final while Ula Basel, daughter

of Basel Murad won Under-14 girls title.

Khalif Al Khulaifi and Michal downed Mohammad Saleh

and Mohammad Daki in the finals of veterans doubles.

NBK IN THE NEWS

The beat of the tribal drum is brought to life in Amina

Ghali for Azza Fahmy’s Neo Tribal Spring/Summer

2011 Collection that is now available at ZAI ,Salwa

Road in Doha.

Inspired by a simultaneous fusion of the past and pre-

sent primal and tribal influences from Africa, India

and Afghanistan; Amina Ghali included exotic influ-

ences in a collection that radiates hip pieces that takes

through a cultural and colorful journey.

The collection includes big earrings, statement cluster

and tassel necklaces to modern bangles and bracelets

with decorative motifs; Ghali managed to reinvent old

traditional techniques through modern techniques

whilst combining cultural references to create unique

pieces that transcend time.

“Designing the Spring/Summer 2011 collection was a

lot of fun; I got to research and learn about different

tribes absorbing their culture and art. The challenge

was modernizing the tribal jewellery to create hip and

trendy pieces which made this collection one of my

favorites as I truly had fun designing each and every

piece” said Amina Ghali

Amina Ghali brings Neo Tribal beauty to ZAI!

NBK kick-started its annual NBK Ramadan Good-

will Drive in partnership with Qatar Charity via

sponsoring Qatar Charity’s banquets offered to peo-

ple in need at tents erected at Madinat Khalifa, South

District.

NBK also distributed 300 daily Iftar meal boxes to

passer-bys across different locations in Qatar in part-

nership with the same charitable organization.

NBK Ramadan Goodwill Drive

Designers draw inspirations from every corner of

the globe, yet Ghali channeled simplified luxury

by reworking the familiar to create for all devout

fashion lovers a complete boho chic collection.

Amina Ghali has been working with Azza Fahmy

Jewellery for six years after graduating from Uni-

versity of Central England, Birmingham, UK with

a BA in jewellery design and silver-smithing; this

is her third Fashion collection to be launched.


NBK IN THE NEWS

ZAI Boutique in Salwa Road, one of the most favorite luxury shop-

ping destinations, announces the debut of their new high end brands

and collection of red carpet worthy evening dresses.

ZAI, being known for carrying luxury brands, launches their amaz-

ing and remarkable new luxury brands that can satisfy every wom-

an’s desire for fashion at its best because ZAI believes that every

woman of style deserves nothing but the best.

Lorena Sarbu, Badgely Mischka,Christian Siriano and Pamella Ro-

land are just few of the newest additions to the line up of ZAI’s

trusted brands for extravagance fashion. All of their newest collec-

tions are proudly displayed at ZAI’s private secition for a more spe-

cial shopping experience.

On the other hand, all time favorite brands like Lanvin, Elie Saab,

Naeem Khan, Loewe and Nina Ricci have never been so good. New

collections keep on coming and are all equally lovely as the others.

Also, the men’s collection will never be out of the running. Fred

Perry by Raf Simons’ collection just arrived and suits from Lanvin

and Zilli are ready and available to be partnered with a lovely even-

ing dress.

It just keeps getting better at ZAI. The family is getting bigger,

bolder and better. For latest updates and information, you may con-

tact ZAI at +974-44092600 or like their page on Facebook. ZAI’s

facebook page: www.facebook.com/zaisalwa, Loewe’s facebook

page: www.facebook.com/loeweqatar .

Zai announces the debut of their new high end

brands and collection


http://www.facebook.com/zaisalwa

http://www.facebook.com/loeweqatar

NBK IN THE NEWS

As a contemporary woman with impeccable style, Lorena infuses

her glamorous and European-inspired personal style into each of

her beautifully timeless creations. With an eye for exquisite detail,

Lorena combines sumptuous fabrics, unique textures and intricate

embellishments to create distinctively stunning designs for the

modern woman.

LORENA SARBU

PAMELLA ROLAND

Pamella designs for a confident woman with exceptional taste - one who

demands a versatile wardrobe in which she feels polished and impecca-

ble without forsaking her sensuality and femininity. Pamella strives to

create clothes that allow women to comfortably exude their strength and

beauty, while projecting innate elegance.


HR ANNOUNCES ITS NEXT TRAINING CALENDAR

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2011

HR NEWS

The Human Resources Department (Training and Development) has compiled a new Training

Calendar September 1st - December 31st 2011 to follow our first highly successful training pro-

gram roll-out January 1st – June 30th 2011.

Training Calendar January-June Review Based upon the performance needs of NBK staff,

22 different non-technical training programs (35 in

total as some courses were run more than once)

were delivered in-house by either Spearhead Train-

ing as the external training partner (7 programs over

14 training days), Lance Rooney as Head of Train-

ing and Development (13 programs over 22 training

days) or NBK’s In-House Certified Trainers (15

programs over 24 training days).

A total of 364 employees attended these programs

and, since some of these staff members enrolled on

more than one course, the number of different em-

ployees totaled 232.

“ We encourage all staff to consider the differ-

ent programs on offer and, based upon the

need to improve your job performance, to ap-

proach your line manager to ask for his or her

approval to enrol when each course is an-

nounced. ”

Furthermore, HR Officer and In-House Certified

Trainer, Lucya Abraham, also ran 7 half-day New

Hire Orientation Workshops during this period. It is

a testament to the quality training delivered by

Spearhead Training, NBK’s Head of Training and

Development, and our Certified Training Team that

not one of the 364 staff evaluated their program as

‘Not Recommended’ in the post-course evaluation

form.

On the contrary, 89% of staff assessed Lance

Rooney’s courses as ‘Highly Recommended’ and

11% as ‘Recommended’, 75% of employees evalu-

ated the Certified Training Team’s programs as

‘Highly Recommended’ and 25% as

‘Recommended’, while 70% of employees evaluat-

ed Spearhead Training’s programs as ‘Highly Rec-

ommended’ and 30% as ‘Recommended’.

Therefore, since the HR Department (Training and

Development) used Spearhead Training for only 7

programs, but utilized the skills of our Head of

Training and Development and Certified Training

Team for 28 courses, we have provided extremely

cost-effective training for NBK’s divisions and

companies, while maintaining the highest quality

training in the process.


Training Calendar September-December

Preview The HR Department (Training and Development) is

pleased to announce that, in addition to the delivery

of some of the same high importance programs as in

the first Training Calendar, we will be offering 15

new courses September 1st-December 31st: Cus-

tomer Database Management, Problem Solving

and Decision-Making Techniques, MS Access

(Beginner), MS PowerPoint (Intermediate), Ms

Excel (Intermediate), Essentials of Marketing:

Preparing a Marketing Plan, The Certified Associ-

ate in Project Management, Time Management

and Stress Management, Coaching for Optimum

Performance, Counseling Skills, Innovative and

Creative Thinking, Conducting Effective Meet-

ings, Assertiveness: Dealing with Difficult Situa-

tions, Effective Team-Working (Certified Training

Team only) and Negotiation Skills.

Once again, HR will be using the services of both

our outstanding Head of Training and Development

and current Certified Training Team to deliver some

of these courses, supported by a new batch of certi-

fied trainers. In this Training Calendar, HR also

plans to use 4 different external training providers to

deliver one course each in-house, thus continuing to

make training as cost-effective as possible for NBK

staff while maintaining the highest quality service

delivery.

We encourage all staff to consider the different pro-

grams on offer and, based upon the need to improve

your job performance, to approach your line manag-

er to ask for his or her approval to enrol when each

course is announced. You should also enquire as to

the other programs on the Training Calendar. Please

note that since all courses are delivered in English,

you must also have a sufficient level of English pro-

ficiency to participate effectively on the course.

HR (Training and Development) looks forward to

serving the training needs of all our customers in

this next exciting Training Calendar

HR NEWS


It is not the strongest of the species

that survives, nor the most intelligent,

but the one most responsive to

change." - Charles Darwin

SPECIAL REPORT

Apparent in many aspects of human interaction is the

notion of "survival of the fittest." In business, govern-

ment, science, and even personal relationships, the

competition for that which is scarce drives humans to

find an "edge" over their adversaries. A good indica-

tor of success in the past has been the level of one's intelligence. It was assumed that the relationship between

one's IQ and one's success would be positively correlated. In other words, "smarter" individuals were bound to

triumph over those less intelligent.

However, what about "book smarts vs. street smarts?" Can an individual with an average IQ be more success-

ful than an IQ genius?

Yes, but only if the individual in question has the higher level of emotional intelligence (EQ); IQ will get you

through school, but EQ gets you through life.

Short Definitions

IQ - A number that signifies the relative intelli-

gence of a person; the ratio multiplied by 100 of

the mental age as reported on a standardized test to

the chronological age. IQ is primarily used to

measure one's cognitive abilities, such as the ability

to learn or understand new situations; how to rea-

son through a given problem/scenario; the ability to

apply knowledge to one's current situations. It in-

volves primarily the neo cortex or top portion of

the brain.

Over 140 - Genius or almost genius

120 - 140 - Very superior intelligence (Gifted)

110 - 119 - Superior intelligence

90 - 109 - Average or normal intelligence

80 - 89 - Dullness

70 - 79 - Borderline deficiency in intelligence

Under 70 - Feeble-mindedness

EQ - A measure of one's emotional intelligence, as

defined by the ability to use both emotional and

cognitive thought. Emotional intelligence skills in-

clude but are not limited to empathy, intuition, cre-

ativity, flexibility, resilience, stress management,

leadership, integrity, authenticity, intrapersonal

skills and interpersonal skills. It involves the lower

and central sections of the brain, called the limbic

system. It also primarily involves the amygdala,

which has the ability to scan everything that's hap-

pening to us moment to moment to see if it is a

threat. As defined by Dr. Daniel Goleman, the

components of emotional intelligence are "simple,

yet powerful enough to effect change." Hence, if

Goleman and Darwin are to believed, it is emotion-

ally intelligent individuals who are most able to

adapt to dynamic environments and therefore most

likely to survive (read: succeed).

Intelligence (IQ) vs. Emotional Intelligence (EQ)


Examples by comparison of EQ vs.

IQ

Appealing to emotions to convince

someone rather than using facts

alone

Using your emotions in addition to

your cognitive abilities to func-

tion rather than relying solely

on logic

Knowing how and why vs. Know-

ing what

Knowing how to motivate separate

individuals as opposed to treat-

ing everyone the same way

Understanding and controlling your

emotions to use them for some-

thing vs. Letting your emotions

control you because you do not

know how to deal with them.

The Components of EQ

Emotional intelligence is measured

using 5-major components and 15-

subcomponents:

1. Intrapersonal Skills (ability to

understand and apply personal emo-

tions)

* Self Regard (ability to accept one-

self as basically good)

* Emotional Self Awareness (ability

to recognize one's own feelings,

which allows us to manage them and

make better decisions. It is important

to be positive even when challenged

because it results in more focused

thinking)

* Assertiveness (ability to express

feelings, beliefs, and thoughts with-

out becoming antagonistic and unco-

operative towards others)

* Independence (ability to be self-

directed and self-controlled in ones

thinking and actions and to be free of

emotional dependency)

* Self Actualization (ability to real-

izes one's potential)

2. Interpersonal Skills (people

skills)

* Empathy (understanding the feel-

ings of others, which enables us to

respond appropriately to changes in

the emotional climate of others; Sig-

nificant others, take note)

* Social Responsibility (being a co-

operative, contributing, and construc-

tive member of various social

groups)

* Interpersonal Relationships

(ability to establish and maintain mu-

tually beneficial relationships noted

for their intimacy and by the giving

& receiving of affection, whether it

be as a lover, friend, family member,

or loyal employee)

3. Stress Management (ability to

handle challenges)

* Stress Tolerance (Ability to han-

dle difficult situations without

‘falling apart')

* Impulse Control (ability to resist

or delay an impulse, drive, or tempta-

tion to act; controlling the need for

"instant gratification")

4. Adaptability (Ability to react

quickly, appropriately, and efficient-

ly to change)

* Reality Testing (ability to assess

the correspondence between what is

experienced and what objectively

exists; knowing what you want to do

vs. what you actually can do)

* Flexibility (ability to adjust one's

emotions, thoughts, and behaviors to

changing situations and conditions)

* Problem Solving (ability to identi-

fy and define problems as well as to

generate and implement potentially

effective solutions)

5. General Mood

* Optimism

* Happiness

How can EQ Help?

To be successful and survive in to-

day's society, individuals need to

have the necessary communication

and organizational skills to make

sound decisions and interact with

each other. Goleman argues that an

individual's success at work is 80

percent dependent on emotional quo-

tient and only 20 percent dependent

on intelligence quotient. This is be-

cause EQ components are useful in

assisting employees with decision-

making in areas like teamwork, in-

clusion, productivity, and communi-

cation.

Furthermore, good listening habits

and skills are integral components of

EQ, and carry the elements of self-

awareness and control, empathy and

social expertness. When a manager at

AT&T Bell Labs was asked to rank

his top performing engineers, high IQ

was not the deciding factor, but in-

stead how the person performed re-

garding the answering of e-mails,

how good they were at collaborating

and networking with colleagues, and

their popularity with others in order

to achieve the cooperation required

to attain the goals. This is just one

example of the benefits of high EQ

regarding communication skills, time

management, teamwork, leadership

skills and business acumen. After all,

we've often heard of the "genius"

with no personality, and the brilliant

surgeon with a horrible bed-side

manner.


EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE QUIZ

How emotionally

intelligent are you?

Read through each of the 10 sce-

narios and select one answer only

in terms of what you would actu-

ally do in each situation, not what

you think you should do. Then,

check your scores and the reasons

for the most emotionally intelli-

gent responses at the back of this

month’s Insider magazine.

Note: The purpose of the quiz is

to provide you with an introduc-

tion to Emotional Intelligence

(EI). The results are NOT a com-

prehensive picture of your EI and

the quiz is NOT representative of

Hay Group surveys.

1. You are on an airplane that suddenly hits ex-

tremely bad turbulence and begins rocking from

side to side. What do you do?

A. Continue to read your book or maga

zine, or watch the movie, trying to pay little atten-

tion to the turbulence.

B. Become vigilant for an emergency, carefully

monitoring the stewardesses and reading the emer-

gency instructions card.

C. A little of both a and b.

D. Not sure - never noticed.

2. You are in a meeting when a colleague takes

credit for work that you have done. What do you

do?

A. Immediately and publicly confront the colleague

over the ownership of your work.

B. After the meeting, take the colleague aside and

tell her that you would appreciate in the future that

she credits you when speaking about your work.

C. Nothing, it is not a good idea to embarrass col-

leagues in public.

D. After the colleague speaks, publicly thank her for

referencing your work and give the group more spe-

cific details about what you were trying to accom-

plish.

(Quiz taken from www.haygroup.com and presented by Lance Rooney, Head of

Training and Development)

3. You are a customer service representative and

have just got an extremely angry client on the

phone. What do you do?

A. Hang-up. It does not pay to take abuse from any-

one.

B. Listen to the client and rephrase what you gather

he is feeling.

C. Explain to the client that he is being unfair, that

you are only trying to do your job, and that you

would appreciate it if he would not get in the way of

this.

D. Tell the client you understand how frustrating

this must be for him, and offer a specific thing you

can do to help him get his problem resolved.

4. You are a college student who had hoped to get

an A grade in a course that was important for

your future career aspirations. You have just

found out you got a C grade on the midterm.

What do you do?

A. Sketch out a specific plan for ways to improve

your grade and resolve to follow through.

B. Decide you do not have what it takes to make it

in that career.


http://www.haygroup.com

C. Tell yourself it really doesn't matter how much

you do in the course and concentrate instead on oth-

er classes where your grades are higher.

D. Go and see the professor and try to talk her into

giving you a better grade.

5. You are a manager in an organization that is

trying to encourage respect for racial and ethnic

diversity. You overhear someone telling a racist

joke. What do you do?

A. Ignore it as the best way to deal with these things

is not to react.

B. Call the person into your office and explain that

their behavior is inappropriate and is grounds for

disciplinary action if repeated.

C. Speak up on the spot, saying that such jokes are

inappropriate and will not be tolerated in your or-

ganization.

D. Suggest to the person telling the joke that he go

through a diversity training program.

6. You are an insurance salesman calling on pro-

spective clients, but have left the last 15 clients

without making any deals. What do you do?

A. Call it a day and go home early to miss the rush-

hour traffic.

B. Try something new in the next call and keep per-

severing.

C. List your strengths and weaknesses to identify

what may be undermining your ability to sell.

D. Sharpen up your resumé.

7. You are trying to calm down a colleague who

has worked herself into a fury because the driver

of another car has

cut dangerously

close in front of

her. What do you

do?

A. Tell her to forget

about it: she is OK

now and so it is no

big deal.

B. Put on one of her favorite tapes and try to distract

her.

C. Join her in criticizing the other driver.

D. Tell her about a time something like this hap-

pened to you, and how angry you felt, until you saw

the other driver was on the way to the hospital.

8. A discussion between you and your partner

has escalated into a shouting match. You are

both upset and in the heat of the argument, start

making per-

sonal attacks

which neither

of you really

mean. What

is the best

thing to do?

A. Agree to

take a 20-

minute break before continuing the discussion.

B. Go silent, regardless of what your partner says.

C. Say you are sorry, and ask your partner to apolo-

gize too.

D. Stop for a moment, collect your thoughts, then

restate your side of the case as precisely as possible.

9. You have been given the task of managing a

team that has been unable to come up with a cre-

ative solution to a work problem. What is the

first thing that you do?

A. Draw up an agenda, call a meeting and allot a

specific period of time to discuss each item.

B. Organize an off-site meeting aimed specifically

at encouraging the team to get to know each other

better.

C. Begin by asking each person individually for ide-

as about how to solve the problem.

D. Start out with a brainstorming session, encourag-

ing each person to say whatever comes to mind, no

matter how wild.

10. You have recently been assigned a young

manager in your team, and have noticed that he

appears to be unable to make the simplest of de-

cisions without seeking advice from you. What

do you do?

A. Accept that he "does not have what it takes to

succeed around here" and find others in your team

to take on his tasks.

B. Get an HR manager to talk to him about where

he sees his future in the organization.

C. Purposely give him lots of complex decisions to

make so that he will become more confident in the

role.

D. Engineer an ongoing series of challenging but

manageable experiences for him, and make yourself

available to act as his mentor.


In The Spotlight

Regular awardee of the

Star of the Month, a true go-getter

and high-achiever by all stand-

ards; funny, helpful, thoughtful,

hard-working, courteous and soft-

spoken are some of the many

things that people have used to de-

scribe our very own Mercedes-

Benz super-star and AMG Expert-

Mustafa Habbab.

Mustafa has joined NBK Automo-

biles in 2007 and has shot to the

top in no time owing to his great

sales and interpersonal skills. A

dedicated pro, Mustafa is sharing

this month some of his business

and personal thoughts and what it

feels like to be part of our cher-

ished NBK community!

Mustafa Habbab:

Certified Sales Expert

Can you please describe yourself in 3

words?

Friendly, Hard-working and Committed

How long you have been working at

NBK? What’s the most important lesson

you learned from work?

I have been working at NBK Automobiles

for 4 years as a senior sales consultant. As

you all know, our customers are very high-

class so the most important thing that I

learned is how to exceed all their expecta-

tions.



How your job at NBK differs from your previous job?

When you sell Mercedes Benz you sell a royal car so your

showroom is different, the group you work with is different,

and your customers are different. Everything is really high-

end.

Have you ever encountered a difficult customer?

I wouldn’t say difficult. I would say that they are savvy and

demanding for a good reason. Our customers are very well-

seasoned and therefore one needs a lot of skills to handle

their requests. I try to offer the best advice and customized

solutions for each client taking into consideration their per-

sonalities, preferences and aspirations.

If you met a BMW owner, how would you try to convince

him to shift to Mercedes?

Mercedes-Benz has benefits which you can't find in other

cars and I make sure to bring these differentiators under the

limelight. A personal experience as well always helps and

therefore driving one of Mercedes-Benz fabulous vehicles is

enough to convince the toughest customers possible!

How do you deal with your staff?

I make sure to give them all the support they need and moti-

vate them as well in different ways. Empowerment is always

key as well.

How do you cope with problems?

Managing problems is part of what we do; throughout my

career I was able to build enough skills to find quick and

helpful solutions for everybody.

You’ve been a regular candidate for EOM’s for the past

several months; can you please share with us any secret?

It's so simple really; the success of any business depends on

your dedication and loyalty

What’s your principle in life?

Enjoy the journey of life

How do you motivate yourself?

Trying to be positive most of the time and try to see the

bright side in my life and always for me tomorrow is new

day.

Your favorite hobby?

Fishing and swimming

How your weekend looks like?

Family day, I escape from formalities

How do you want people to remember you?

A decent person and collaborator

NBK Street

“If you were to be remembered

for one thing, what you would

want it to be?”

Eric Calderon

HR Department

I want to be remembered as a

structured procrastinator. The

essence of the structured pro-

crastination was introduced by

Philosophy Prof. John Perry of

Stanford University, famous

for his “Philosophy Talk” podcast – “the program that

questions everything --- except your intelligence”.

As we all know, ordinary procrastinators put off things

they have to do and do marginal things like gardening,

sharpening pencils, arranging files because they are a way

of not doing something more important. In fact, they tend

not to do anything at all and become a couch potato.

Structured Procrastination is the art of making this bad

trait works for you. Structured procrastination is a careful

way of strategizing our to-do list or shaping the structures

of the tasks, in which we try to avoid task on top of our

list, thereby engaging in other worthwhile tasks lower

down on our list. In accomplishing this strategy we have

to use our self-deceptive skills, to make this character flaw

offset the bad effects of another.

Alma Boncilao

Accounts Department

I just wanted to be remembered being a

happy person, “the best buddy” they ever

have, especially for my friends who have

been very close and dear to me.

Omar El-Mohtadi

Marketing Department (QAC)

In life, like in our careers, every sin-

gle person we meet leaves a certain

impression or mark on us.

On a personal level I try to leave a

good impression on every person I

meet, because it is fascinating when

people remember you as the person

who gave them a smile or made them feel comfortable

that day. That is NOW!

And hopefully in the future I want to be remembered as

the person who offered as much as he can to help under-

privileged children and all those in need in his society;

just a normal person who wants to see everyone around

him happy!

Elaine Tapnio

Stock Control Department

“If I am to choose one word people

to describe me , that would be hon-

orable. I want to be remembered as

a person with honor. Someone with

great integrity, with good values

and trustworthy. It’s not easy to find a person whom you can really rely on anything,

whom you can trust with everything. A person you know

who will do what is good and what is right, even if there

are eyes looking at them. Nowadays when moral is not a priority , when what is essentially good is being negotiat-

ed and debated, to be called honorable and to be recog-

nized as such is truly a great achievement to have”

Celso Icasiano

Clearance Department

I would like to be remembered as some-

one who is faithful.

My measure of success is not within the

terms of acquiring wealth, accomplishing

goals, attaining prestige, obtaining status or arriving at a

certain level of power, although these are the world’s

central definitions of success. I realize its flaws when I

see the lives of the rich and famous in disaster, often

ending in tragic notes.

My natural values make me come to terms with the real

source of success is with faithfulness to God, to family,

to superiors, to co-workers, to friends, and to everyone

with whom I interact. It is living a life of integrity with-

out compromise, regardless of opposition or resistance.

Faithfulness hinges upon what we value as good and

right combined with commitment. Money and status are

deceiving barometers of success. Where there is faithful-

ness, there are rewards. Where there are rewards, there

is abundance. I believe that faithfulness will bring me to

where it really matters in due time. It is the legacy of

faithfulness that will linger in hearts and will retain in

minds, long after all has been said and done and after

everything has come and gone.


EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH

Service Center

Showroom

Motaz Dwedri Mahmoud Churbaji Ayman Mohammad Ali, Motaz Al-Hams,Yann Lassade, Ihab El-Feky

Nathu Gurung Gayan Harshaka Abdullah Abu Hassan Chabbi Lal Sapkota


Mr. Ayman Mohammad Ali, QAC

newly-appointed General Manager

with staff and Managers

EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH

Showroom

Service Center

Loay Nammoura Nur Kurbag Khalid Hassan Adnan Salim


Alfonso Reyes Rodnie Ragandan

Wilmer Caraang Hari Kumar Shrestha

From Left to Right : Leon Carstens, Salman Yousef El-Tetr (Body Shop & CV

Manager) , Rodnie, Wilmer, Hari,Hani Zaabalawi (Parts Sales Supervisor) and

Can Karauc (QAC After Sales Manager)

HEALTH NEWS

11 Healthy Ways to De-Stress With Food

1. Snack on a handful of nuts. They’re packed with magnesium,

which seems to help keep cortisol levels low. Nuts are high in calories,

so if you’re watching your weight, make sure not to eat more than a

dozen a day.

2. Eat broccoli and low-fat ranch dip. Broccoli has folic acid,

which aids stress reduction

4. Have a whole grain English muffin

with jam or honey. Complex carbohydrate-rich foods raise serotonin

levels, boosting your mood and helping you relax.

5. Savor some salmon. Omega-3 fatty acids

help brain cells to function more collaboratively,

helping you to deal with stress more effectively.

3. Enjoy sorbet with a vanilla sugar wafer. Sugary

foods decrease levels of anxiety-producing hormones, specifically

through the production of glucocorticoid, a stress hormone linked

to storing more fat in the belly. Just a little sugar on the tongue is

enough to produce a feel-good effect, so don’t overdo it!


6. Indulge in some dark chocolate. By far the most potent

endorphin-producing food on earth, chocolate contains more than

300 different compounds, including anandamide, a chemical that

mimics marijuana’s effects on the brain, and theobromine, a mild

stimulant. Look for imported dark chocolate with a cocoa content

of 70% or more.

11. Drink a glass of cold water,

then go for a walk outside. The water

gets your blood moving and the air in-

vigorates by stimulating the endorphins

that de-stress you.

HEALTH NEWS

7. Drink a glass of milk. It contains tryptophan, which as

it is metabolized is converted to mood-boosting serotonin.

Plus, its calcium, magnesium and potassium content may help

keep blood pressure down.

8. Drink hot cocoa. Warm drinks raise your body

temperature-a feeling we associate with comfort, so it

triggers a similar response in our brains.

9. Order black tea instead

of coffee. A study by Univer-

sity College London shows that

drinking black tea four times a

day for six weeks lowered the

stress hormone cortisol after a

stressful event.

1 0 . D r i n k

g r e e n t e a -

p a c k e d w i t h

theanine, which increases the brain’s

output of relaxation-inducing alpha

waves and reduces the output of ten-

sion-making beta waves.


EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE QUIZ ANSWERS The questionnaire that you have just completed is by no means an exhaustive measure of your Emotional Intelligence, both because

of its length and the fact that it is self-scoring. However, it does provide a general picture of your EI. The highest score is 100 and

the average score is 50. However, for a more complete and accurate picture of your Emotional Intelligence, log on to

www.haygroup.com and see their multi-rater assessment tool called the ‘Emotional and Social Competency Inventory’

1. The turbulent airplane: Anything but D. That answer reflects a lack of awareness of

your habitual responses under stress. Actively acknowledging

your stress and finding ways to calm yourself (i.e. engage in a

book or read the emergency card) are healthier responses.

[A] 10 Points [C] 10 Points

[B] 10 Points [D] 0 Points

2. The credit stealing colleague: The most emotionally intelligent answer is D. By demonstrating

an awareness of work-place dynamics and an ability to control

your emotional responses, publicly recognizing your own ac-

complishments in a non-threatening manner will disarm your

colleague as well as puts you in a better light with your manager

and peers. Public confrontations can be ineffective, are likely to

cause your colleague to become defensive and may look like

poor sportsmanship on your part. Although less threatening,

private confrontations are also less effective in that they will not

help your personal reputation.



3. The angry client: The most emotionally intelligent answer is D. Empathizing with

the customer will help calm him down and focusing back on a

solution will ultimately help the customer attain his needs. Con-

fronting a customer or becoming defensive tends to anger the

customer even more.



4. The 'C' Midterm: The most emotionally intelligent answer is A. A key indicator of

self-motivation, also known as Achievement Motivation, is your

ability to form a plan for overcoming obstacles to achieve long-

term goals. While focusing efforts on classes where you have a

better opportunity may sometimes be productive, if the goal was

to learn the content of the course to help your long-term career

objectives, you are unlikely to achieve.



5. The racist joke: The most emotionally intelligent answer is C. The most effective

way to create an atmosphere that welcomes diversity is to make

clear in public that the social norms of your organization do not

tolerate such expressions. Confronting the behavior privately

lets the individual know the behavior is unacceptable, but does

not communicate it to the team. Instead of trying to change prej-

udices , try and prevent people from acting on them.



6. The setback of a salesman: The most emotionally intelligent answer is B. Optimism and

taking the initiative (both indicators of emotional intelligence)

lead people to see setbacks as challenges they can learn from,

and to persist, trying out new approaches rather than giving up,

blaming themselves or getting demoralized. Although listing

your strengths and weaknesses can be a helpful exercise, without

actively persevering, motivation to sell will tend to decrease.



7. The Road-Rage colleague: The most emotionally intelligent answer is D. All research

shows that anger and rage seriously affect your ability to per-

form effectively. Daniel Goleman, in his book WWEI , coined

the phrase "amygdala hijacking" to describe the process of los-

ing your temper in this kind of situation. Your ability to avoid or

control this emotional reaction in yourself and others is a key

indicator of emotional intelligence. In the road rage scenario,

any attempt to calm down your colleague by distracting her

away from the effects of the amygdala hijack will have a posi-

tive impact on the situation and her behavior, particularly if you

are able to effectively empathize with her.



8. The shouting match: The most emotionally intelligent answer is A. In these circum-

stances, the most appropriate behavior is to take a 20-minute

break. As the argument has intensified, so have the physiologi-

cal responses in your nervous system, to the point at which it

will take at least 20 minutes to clear your body of these emo-

tions of anger and arousal. Any other course of action is likely to

aggravate an already tense and uncontrolled situation.


[B] 0 Points [D] 0 Points 9. The uninspired team: The most emotionally intelligent answer is B. As a leader of a

group of individuals charged with developing a creative solu-

tion, your success will depend on the climate that you can create

in your project team. Creativity is likely to by stifled by struc-

ture and formality. Instead, creative groups perform at their

peaks when rapport, harmony and comfort levels are high. In

these circumstances, people are most likely to make the most

positive contributions to the success of the project.

[A] 0 Points [ C] 0 Points

[B] 10 Points [D] 5 Points 10. The indecisive young manager: The most emotionally intelligent answer is D. Managing others

requires high levels of emotional intelligence, particularly if you

are going to be successful in maximizing the performance of

your team. Often, this means that you need to tailor your ap-

proach to meets the specific needs of the individual, and provide

them with support and feedback to help them grow in confi-

dence and capability.




http://www.haygroup.com

Documents

NBK Insider September 2011